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Meet Sarah Lesko

Meet the Muse: Sarah Lesko ~ doctor, runner, good sleeper

What makes you leap out of bed?

A run with Sally. Other than that, I love to sleep in. I’m a good sleeper.

What did you dream about when you were 8?

I actually had a lot of super disturbing recurring nightmares…about roving cactus monsters, hiding under tables to avoid them. That’s super literal. I wasn’t a “hopes and dreams” kind of kid; my childhood was pretty unpredictable so I wasn’t in the headspace to be looking to the future.

What do you dream about now?

I envision our Oiselle athletes in these golden athletic moments, Lauren Fleshman on the Ellen Degeneres show, Sally giving a Ted talk, Oiselle-palooza in Bend with all of our Volée…

What matters most to you?

Relationships

What do you tell young people to do?

Assume you are going to climb to the top of your ladder. Make sure you are leaning it against the right house. And don’t be in such a hurry to get to a “legitimate” job. Most of those are boring.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I have a strong butt.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I don’t crack under pressure.

What do you want to be remembered for?

That I was able to show affection, appreciation, and enthusiasm. I made people dream bigger.

What is your motto?

It’s tattooed on my 21-yr old son’s pectoral: The secret is, there is no secret. Party motto: Someone’s getting pregnant tonight!

Let’s dive deep:

What is holding you back from living the life you want?

I finally feel like I’m doing it right now. Nothing is holding me back. Well, not quite honest…I have a bit of guilt/shame at not continuing on right now with medical service. And I’m not as close to my parents as I should be.

What is your greatest fear?

My children suffering.

What has been your greatest life lesson?

That when my children suffer, they come out the other side stronger and more kind.

What breaks your heart for others?

When they are so trapped in their own anxious world that they can’t fully engage with the life around them.

How do you break your own heart?

I get injured running a lot. I love to run. And I don’t want to limit myself. But then I get injured for like 6-9 months. It’s a tough cycle. And, when I screw up, I live in a guilt/shame ball for months. Self-forgiveness: it’s hard.

If you had the world stage for one moment, what would your message be?

This, right now, is what matters. The relationships we have with one another. The interactions we have with each other. What we are building together. Anything is possible.

Tell us about your work:

Tell us a bit about Oiselle:

Where do I start? Oiselle’s mission: Build the sisterhood. Improve the sport. Make great product. I met Sally on a run in 2010 and fell in love. I’m excited to see where we can go!

What project are you working on now?

I’m spearheading the Oiselle Muses project. We are so delighted to introduce our first 6 Oiselle Muses: women who inspire not only through their physical strength but their strength of character, magnetic personalities, and willingness to share their stories. Plus, whoa they all look awesome in flystyle!

What is your “why” behind it?

We’ve been pondering a “Thinking Women” category of our Haute Volée…after attending the Muse Conference in Bend we realized that was the correct terminology. We wanted a way to share and showcase amazing women who may be beyond their peak athletic years but who have continued on with excellence and courage in other realms of life. They are truly high flyers.

What should people know about your work?

I trained as a family doctor, got my MPH after residency and practiced medicine/did health services research for 15 years. I’m kind of the “office doctor” at Oiselle, which just means I get texted gross pictures. But that makes me feel like my medical training has a purpose. My real title is “Corporate Development” or as I like to call it, Shenanigans.

How can we support you and your work?

I love connecting with awesome people! I like to envision ways we can work together. Let’s all keep the connections coming.

How do you balance work and play?

Right now, my work is my play.

Share your inspiration with us:

When and where are you most inspired?

It sounds cliché, but my husband inspires me every day. He is not afraid to engage on so many levels: cognitive, emotional, musical, physical… And, of course, watching athletes in motion. I am a huge running nerd. 12-hour track meets? I love every minute.

If you could inspire one change in yourself, what would it be?

To never get injured! Haha. To forgive a little easier. To view disagreements as an opportunity for growth instead of an uncomfortable emotionally-charged hell.

If you could inspire one change in the world, what would it be?

To make everyone realize that anonymous negative attacks are harmful to all involved, the giver and the receiver.

Where do you look for inspiration in your daily life?

Everyone in the Oiselle office. Our athletes.

Who inspires you?

In addition to the above, my three boys. The Volée. People who crawl through the muck and share their stories.

Want to share a quote or a poem or a song lyric that inspires you?

Well…a bunch of us just went to the epic Beyoncé concert (Formation Tour). I’ve got so many of her songs living in my head. I don’t think I’m supposed to swear here, but listen to “Don’t Hurt Yourself”.

And I’m a John Denver lover (miss him!): [Sweet Surrender]

Tomorrow is open and right now it seems to be more than enough

To just be here today, and I don’t know what the future is holding in store,

About Muse

Muse is a source of inspiration, a heartbeat, a movement, a call to action, a question, an answer, support, celebration, nourishment, a standing ovation, a sense of wonder, a platform, an invitation, a conversation, a voice…your voice, our collective voice.